Novel design system of secondary isolating contacts in circuit breakers

ABSTRACT

A novel unipolar design of Secondary Isolating Contacts for Circuit Breakers which provides flexibility to build schematic logistics by exploiting programmability of the design and which is flexible for subsequent addition or deletion or replacement of SICs with minimum efforts.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THIS INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a novel design of secondary isolating contacts in circuit breakers. This invention is aimed at achieving high modularity so that various accessories provided in the circuit breaker can be easily added and/or replaced.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Circuit breakers for low voltage generally find application in the current range of upto 6400A. These circuit breakers are available in Fixed & Drawout versions. Drawout version facilitates easy maintenance and installation.

[0003] For drawout circuit breaker, a chamber like unit often called as Cradle is generally additionally required, through which current carrying parts of the circuit breaker get connected in sliding and/or plug-in way. Power circuit, which handles current as per the ampere rating of circuit breaker (<=6400 Amp), has one arrangement, while various accessories viz. Closing release, shunt release, electrical charging device, auxiliary switch etc. which form part of control circuit have an independent arrangement. The current of control circuits is of the order of 10 Amperes.

[0004] The arrangement of control circuit has to be suitable for as many accessories as are present in modem day circuit breakers. The number varies from about twenties to about sixties.

[0005] Drawout circuit breaker can assume three different situations:

[0006] 1. “Service” position; where Power as well as control circuit is connected. This is the position when circuit breaker is in operation.

[0007] 2. “Test” position; where Power circuit is disconnected but control circuit is connected. In this position, the circuit breaker can be tested for proper functioning without switching and/or carrying power.

[0008] 3. “Isolated” position; when control circuit is also disconnected.

[0009] Electrical micro switches are generally mounted in the cradle which sense the position of circuit breaker in cradle.

[0010] The arrangement for control circuit is required in line with the accessories chosen by different users and hence needs to be independently modular.

[0011] Many a time, because of process interlocking requirements, few control circuits need to be connected only in service and/or test position.

[0012] Presently available designs generally meet only basic requirement of circuit breaker, but these designs do not meet the modularity and circuit breaker position sensing and process interlocking needs.

[0013] Our design system effectively meets all these requirements in unique way.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Our design system of the present invention of contacts for connected of control circuit is called secondary isolating contacts (abbreviated as SICs). The basic module consists of the minimum possible i.e. ONE. Hence as less as one SIC can be provided in our circuit breaker. This design is thus called a unipolar design.

[0015] One SIC consists of one breaker SIC and one cradle SIC. The breaker SIC slides over the cradle SIC thus providing the desired connection.

[0016] In circuit breaker, many accessories are added by the user at a later date. In our design, when such an accessory is added, the corresponding SIC(s) can be added without disturbing the previously present SIC(s).

[0017] Similarly, when any accessory needs replacement, the corresponding breaker SIC(s) can be withdrawn without disturbing other SICs.

[0018] The cradle SICs design is such that it provides contact in Service+Test+Isolated position or any one position or combination of any two or all three positions, as desired.

DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will now be described with the help of drawings. The drawings are duly marked with appropriate numerals for convenient reference. The drawings are not to scale. The drawings are non-restrictive examples. Drawings consist 10 figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020]FIG. 1 comprises FIGS. 1a, 1 b, 1 c & 1 d; and these figures show four different varieties of Cradle SICs contacts.

[0021]FIG. 2 comprises FIGS. 2a & 2 b; and these figures show details of Cradle SIC insulated housing.

[0022]FIG. 3 shows assembly of conducting strip and Cradle SIC insulated housing.

[0023]FIG. 4 shows stack of cradle SICs.

[0024]FIG. 5 comprises FIGS. 5a & 5 b; and these figures show fixation details of cradle SIC and cradle SIC mounting member.

[0025]FIG. 6 comprises FIGS. 6a, 6 b & 6 c; and these figures show details of Breaker conducting contact & Breaker insulated housing.

[0026]FIG. 7 comprises FIGS. 7a & 7 b; and these figures show fixation details of conducting contact & Breaker SIC insulated housing.

[0027]FIG. 8 shows stack of Breaker SICs.

[0028]FIG. 9 comprises FIGS. 9a & 9 b; and these figures show fixation details of Breaker SIC & Breaker SIC mounting member.

[0029]FIG. 10 shows a complete SIC.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0030] Referring to all the figures, in FIG. (1), four designs of conducting strip of Cradle SICs are explained: All position design (1 a), only Isolated Position design (1 b), only Test position design (1 c), only Service position design (1 d).

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 2a & 2 b, cradle SICs insulated housing (4) is designed such that front and rear side/s of it (4 f & 4 r) have plurality of dovetail constructions (47 & 46) with the help of which two insulated housings can be clubbed together without using fastener. NOTE:—Even though the dovetail connections (46, 47) are in plurality, for the sake of simplicity in explaining the description, we have given only one number (46 or 47), and we have not mentioned as (46.1, 46.2, 46.3, . . . ; 47.1, 47.2, 47.3, . . . ). Such nomenclature is also followed in rest of the description.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 2a, 2 b & 3, wire terminals (2 & 3) are fitted on projection (41) in insulated housing (4). Plurality of holes (11) provided on copper strips (1 a, 1 b, 1 c & 1 d) fit into corresponding plurality of pips (45) on insulated housing (4) and specially constructed plurality of surfaces (12) of it trap between surfaces (21 & 22) of wire terminals (2 & 3) and wall construction (44) of insulated housing. This assembly thus obtained in FIG. 3 is identified as “Cradle SIC”. “Cradle SIC” assembly/s (99 a or 99 b or 99 c . . . ) is shown in FIGS. 5a, 5 b & 10. Likewise many cradle SICs (99 a or 99 b or 99 c or any combination thereof) can be clubbed together to get desired number of contacts.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 5a, 5 b, 10, Cradle SICs (99 a, 99 b, 99 c) by virtue of their projection construction (42) are directly fixable on Cradle SIC mounting member (7) which in turn sits firmly on Cradle of circuit breaker. Cradle SICs get trapped at locations (7 a, 7 b, 7 c . . . , 7 n). Projection/s (43) traps against surface (71) of Cradle SIC mounting member (7). A Cradle SIC insulated housing (4) encloses last SIC conducting strip to prevent the probable electrically live part from the danger of exposure.

[0034] For completion of electrical circuit, every Cradle SIC (99) has corresponding Breaker SIC 100) as shown in FIG. 10, and explained in FIGS. 7a, 8, 9 a, 9 b. Breaker SIC insulated housing (9) has plurality of dovetail constructions (91 & 92) on its front and rear side (9 f & 9 r). Hence two or more breaker insulated housings (9) can be clubbed together.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 6a, 6 b, 6 c, 7 a, slot (81) in conducting contact (8) fits on corresponding profile (93) in breaker moulded housing (9). Wall (82) of conducting contact (8) rests against wire terminal (101). This assembly is identified as “Breaker SIC” (100). A number of Breaker SICs can be clubbed together to get desired number of contacts, as shown in FIG. 10. With the help of projection construction (94), Breaker SICs are directly fixable on Breaker SIC mounting member (6); at locations (6 a, 6 b, 6 c . . . , 6 n) as shown in FIGS. 9a, 9 b, 10.

[0036] When an air circuit breaker is in ISOLATED position, assembly (99) with Isolated position Cradle SICs design (1 b) comes in contact with Breaker SIC (100 a, 100 b, 100 c . . . ,) i.e. surface (83) of Breaker SIC copper contact (8). Likewise many breaker SICs (100 a or 100 b or 100 c or any combination thereof) can be clubbed together to get desired number of contacts.

[0037] Similarly when air circuit breaker is in TEST position, assembly (99) with Test position Cradle SICs design (1 c) makes contact with surface (83). Likewise, in SERVICE position, service position Cradle SICs design (1 d) makes contact with surface (83). All position Cradle SICs design (1 a) remains connected throughout the travel of breaker i.e. from ISOLATED to SERVICE position.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 10, this design of SICs provides continuity between breaker SICs (100 a, 100 b, 100 c) and Cradle SICs (99 a, 99 b, 99 c) by sliding action. The breaker SICs (100 a, 100 b, 100 c) conducting contact/s slide/s on the conducting strip/s of Cradle SICs (99 a, 99 b, 99 c).

[0039] By virtue of possibility of these arrangements, aptly called programming, control wiring scheme can be designed with high flexibility using any or all arrangements (i.e. programs)

VARIATIONS

[0040] More combinations viz. Test+Service, Test+Isolated and the like can be derived from this concept as variations. 

1. A novel unipolar design system of secondary isolating contacts for drawout circuit breakers for providing flexibility to provide continuity of service position, test position and isolated position or any combination thereof and also to provide flexibility for subsequent addition or deletion or replacement of secondary isolating contacts with minimum efforts, without disturbing other SICs, which comprises as substantially explained in details in accompanying drawings, a chamber-like-unit called cradle through which current carrying parts of the circuit breaker get connected in sliding and/or in plug-in way, each SIC comprising a cradle SIC and a breaker SIC; ‘isolating constacts’ to establish copper to copper contact/s, being mounted in the cradle which secure the position of circuit breaker in cradle insulated housing such that front and rear sides of it have plurality of dovetail constructions with the help of which insulated housings can be clubbed to-gether without using fastener, wire terminals are fitted on projection in the insulated housing, for establishing contacts holes are provided on copper strips; holes getting fitted into corresponding plurality of pips on insulated housing, and specially constructed plurality of surfaces of the insulated housing trap between surfaces of wire terminals and wall construction of insulated housing; and the assembly so obtained is identified as cradle SIC and such assemblies can be clubbed to-gether to get any desired number of contacts: each cradle SIC having corresponding breaker SIC, breaker SIC assembly also having insulated housing with plurality of dovetail constructions on front and rear sides for enabling plurality of breaker insulated housings being clubbed together; this breaker SIC assembly having conducting contact fitting on corresponding profile, wall of conducting contact resting against wire terminal; this breaker SIC assembly being directly fixable on breaker SIC mounting member, and which therefore results such that in circuit-breaker-in-ISOLATED-position, cradle SIC isolated position comes in contact with corresponding breaker SIC; in air-circuit-breaker-in-TEST-position, cradle SIC test position comes in contact with corresponding breaker SIC; and in air-circuit-breaker-in-SERVICE-position, cradle SIC service position comes in contact with corresponding breaker SIC; and all-position-cradle, SIC remains in contact throughout the travel of breaker from ISOLATED to SERVICE position; and this design system enables SIC to provide continuity and flexibility in various positions. 